D.J. Bryant suffers likely season-ending knee injury

Pictures of the Ravens game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17.

Jeff Zrebiec, The Baltimore Sun

Ravens strong-side linebacker D.J. Bryant entered the preseason finale intent on making a statement that he belonged on the opening-week roster of his hometown team.

Instead, the former Randallstown standout was forced from the Ravens' 24-21 loss to the St. Louis Rams tonight at the Edward Jones Dome with a significant left knee injury.

"That looks like a season ender," said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. "We’ll know [Friday] after we get the MRI but all indications are there’s substantial ligament damage there, nothing that he can’t come back from. Obviously, he’ll work on that. I’m sure he’ll get surgery and rehab it."

Bryant, 24, collided with teammate John Simon on the final play of the first half. He went down in obvious pain, prompting several teammates to immediately call the athletic training staff onto the field.

He stayed down for several moments while the two teams exited the field for halftime. Putting no weight on his left leg, Bryant was taken from the field on a cart.

Bryant, who started the game but was considered a longshot to make the 53-man roster because of the team's depth at outside linebacker, spent two regular season and four postseason games on the Ravens' practice squad last year. He also had stints with the Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets.

"He’s a talented guy," Harbaugh said. "He’s got a future, I think. He gets a year to hit the weight room and get after it and come back stronger."